Back in Toronto

After 95 years of life, my Omi (grandmother) died last week in a nursing home. She had been suffering from worsening dementia for several years. For the past year and more she had been totally dependent and often bedridden. She often no longer recognized us. At the end we weren't sure whether she had any sense of her surroundings at all. It was painful to watch her deteriorating, she who had been such a fit and vital woman all her life. I was uncomfortable visiting her, preferring to remember her the way she was earlier. My mom lovingly cared for her and spent many hours at her side, feeding her and reading to her. And now it is over. The funeral today was well attended by family and friends. There were many tears. I like to think that her passing was a blessing, as she is now in a better place. It is only we who are left without her who suffer.

Our Farmhouse in Ontario

A Long Way From Puslinch

As I sit here, recovering from a vicious bout of Mono, I find myself speculating on the purpose of this blog. I'm still coming to terms with the fact that this kind of technology is available to anyone who can use a computer keyboard! I need to thank Chris Corrigan for nudging me to create a blog in the first place. Although he and I have not yet met face to face (you wouldn't know me if you tripped over me in the General Store for instance, Chris), I happened across his excellent blog http://www.chriscorrigan.com/miscellany/bijournal/blogger.html when I was snooping the net for some information about this island last year. I had no idea what a blog WAS at the time (but thought it sounded slightly obscene)! Now I've discovered a whole new world out (or in) there! People all over the world are blogging for many different purposes with, it appears, some amazing results!

What better way to chronicle my journey across the country from a pictoral, as well as philosophical, perspective.

We Are Here!

My family and I finally arrived on Bowen Island on June 23rd, 2004. Our moving van was due to meet us at our new house the following morning, so we spent the night at a great B&B at Miller's Landing. We had just completed a 5000 km journey halfway across the country from Puslinch, Ontario. We had seen many beautiful sights along the way, but for me the best of all was the sight of Bowen Island, seen from the deck of our approaching ferry!